Jaipur (PTI): Rise in Tiger population in Rajasthan's Ranthambore Sanctuary seems to have given rise to "territory wars" among the predators.

An eight-year-old tigress was found dead in the sanctuary yesterday and forest officials suspect that the striped animal was killed in a fight with another wild big cat over space.

However, the forest officials are yet to ascertain the cause of death of the animal whose carcass was found in a mutilated condition.

"Initial investigations suggest that the striped animal must have died in a fight with another wild cat over territory," a forest official said.

Having a healthy prey-base, the Ranthambore national park, spread over 400 sq km is busting with robust tiger population. As per a 2007 census, the number of stripped animals have increased from 25 in 2005 to 32 last year.

The figure excludes cubs, whose number is estimated to be around 14.

More tigers have resulted in increasing clashes between the stripped animals over territories as the animal does not like another wild cat to wade into "its" area that they mark by some signals like debarking trees.

Experts believe their number has increased after strong security measures, better breeding facilities and availability of good prey within the reserve area where sambhars, neel gai and cheetals are found in large numbers.